5 Mistakes to Avoid When Creating an Online Store
As more and more people are choosing entrepreneurship over 9-5 jobs, eCommerce sites are popping up all over the place. Unfortunately, many of these excited and well-intentioned entrepreneurs are making some critical mistakes that could cost them their business. Luckily, I have done my research. Here are the TOP 5 mistakes you can steer clear of when starting your own online business.
Tip #1: Web Design
When it comes to design, less is more. You are trying to sell items, so you want the focus of your customer to be on your brand and products. One of the best (and most affordable) ways to achieve this is picking an impactful yet streamlined website template from a site builder.
These templates not only look beautiful but they will help you change elements to suit your brand.
Color Matters
Color psychology is a real thing. Study it and try to incorporate it within your branding. Blue, for example, is a color that inspires trust and credibility. Take the time to notice which businesses choose blue as their colour scheme. Typically you will find this color used in bank and medical institutions that want to create trust using value.
When it comes to your call-to-action, over 30% of people will click a red button. This bright colour creates excitement and urgency.
Fun Fact: Blue appears in more than half of all logos. Something to consider when creating your own logo.
Tip #2: Brand Awareness
Speaking of your brand, do you know what it is? An eCommerce business is defined by its brand identity. Avoid the common mistake of not having a clear, well-thought-out brand and instead consider the following:
- How are we different – understand your unique value proposition (UVP)
- What do we do better or more efficiently than others – understand your competition
- Three words that describe our brand – if it takes longer to describe, keep working on it
These three questions will help you uncover the soul of your brand and build consumer trust and interest.
Tip #3: Think Like Your Customer
Your business may be your baby, but you want other people to be as enthusiastic about it as you are. Take time to explore your eCommerce site as a consumer. For example, is your site 100% responsive? If not, your customer will leave before they even had a chance to see your cleverly crafted pop up. Is navigation straightforward? Just like a brick and mortar shop, you want everything on your site to feel easily accessible. Is your product setup intuitive, or has it been set up in a way that only you understand?
Consider these aspects when you look through your site, since you will be able to edit and tailor the user experience to provide your visitors with an enjoyable and clear customer journey.
Tip #4: Images and Media
All of the content on your site matters. When launching an e-commerce site, take the time to make sure your images are relevant and professional. The stats are in and they point to images being responsible for more than 40% of conversions.
Load time. Images are worth a thousand words, but your customers will leave if they take too long to load. Always check to make sure they are compressed for less than 3-second load time.
In this day and age , there are great online store builders like Ucraft that can help you ensure all of the right elements are there.
Tip #5: Be Professional
When it comes to buying online, trust is a major factor. So always choose fast and secure elements that ensure your customer their payment is safe at all times. Other professional aspects include the following:
- Choose an online store builder that is intuitive and easy to manage
- A great store builder should give you the opportunity to sell digital products as well
- Transaction fees – choose a site that does NOT charge you transaction fees
- Easy product uploading – eCommerce apps make uploading bulk items a snap so your customers don’t have to wait to see what you have in stock
- Backend – make sure you can update and see out of stock items and other important inventory management issues right away
Wrap Up
When it comes to creating an eCommerce store, choose an online store builder that will take out the guesswork. Built-in templates help you choose a professional design that you can adjust to meet your brand messaging. Consider your customer and make sure your site offers intuitive navigation and images that sell your products. Don’t forget to offer safe and up-to-date info so you and your customer know exactly what is in stock and what you need to order. Avoid these mistakes, and you are on your way to creating a successful online business.
